INTERMAT 2027 puts construction’s sustainable transition under the spotlight
INTERMAT has published a new special report examining how economic pressures, decarbonisation targets and changing workforce demands are reshaping the European construction equipment industry. Entitled “The construction industry rising to the challenge of sustainability”, the publication arrives ahead of INTERMAT 2027, which will take place in Paris from 21–24 April. The exhibition will focus on sustainable construction solutions and technology, bringing together manufacturers, contractors, rental companies, equipment suppliers and other businesses involved in construction, earthmoving, demolition, quarrying, mining and materials handling.
The report is built around the economic, environmental and social elements of sustainability that will guide the 2027 exhibition. It reflects the work of five major trade associations — C-MAT, EVOLIS, DLR, FFB and FNTP — which are collaborating to support the industry’s transition while protecting competitiveness. Much of the content draws on discussions held during the Sector Day on 29 January 2026, when French and European construction stakeholders shared practical experience, concerns and expectations surrounding the changing equipment market.
Economic sustainability is presented as the foundation of any workable transition. Construction equipment manufacturers, plant hire businesses and contractors are being asked to reduce emissions while dealing with higher machinery prices, additional regulatory requirements and pressure to maintain productivity. The European Union’s target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 provides a clear direction, but the route towards it remains complex. Businesses must invest in lower-emission machines and new technology without creating operating costs that make projects or fleets financially unviable. The report also argues that stable regulation will be essential, allowing fleet operators and manufacturers to make long-term investment decisions with greater certainty.
Demand for low-carbon construction equipment remains another obstacle, as electric machinery and other alternative-energy solutions can carry a higher initial purchase price than conventional diesel models. Public procurement could therefore have a significant influence by giving greater consideration to emissions, energy use and environmental performance when contracts are awarded. Equipment finance and rental will also be central to widening access to cleaner machinery. According to Philippe Cohet, chairman of DLR, around 80% of machines are now leased, highlighting the importance of the rental sector in helping contractors adopt newer equipment without carrying the full capital cost. “INTERMAT provides an opportunity to share experiences, highlight existing solutions and, above all, identify the conditions under which they can be rolled out across the sector, with business models that are sustainable in the long term,” said Guillaume Schaeffer, Director of the INTERMAT trade show.
Environmental sustainability is expected to be one of the exhibition’s most visible themes, with the industry increasingly moving towards multi-energy construction sites rather than relying on a single replacement for diesel. Battery-electric machines are already gaining ground in compact equipment, where shorter working cycles, lower energy requirements and easier access to charging can make electrification practical. Trials have also shown the potential for electric construction machinery to cut both exhaust emissions and noise, which can be particularly valuable on urban projects, indoor demolition work and sites operating close to residential areas.
For larger excavators, wheel loaders, dump trucks and other heavy equipment, the route to lower emissions is likely to involve a broader mixture of technologies. HVO, or hydrotreated vegetable oil, is identified as an immediately available option that can lower emissions from compatible internal combustion engines while allowing businesses to continue using existing machinery. “Carbon-free energy sources remain scarcer than oil. This means sectors must be organised and decisions made based on applications,” said Xavier Neuschwander, Chair of the FNTP’s Technical and Innovation Committee. That application-led approach recognises that the energy requirements of a compact excavator on an urban site are very different from those of high-production earthmoving machinery working long shifts in a quarry or mine.
C-MAT, EVOLIS, DLR, FFB and FNTP have also established the CINERGIC consortium to coordinate industry discussions around energy supply and use on construction sites. Dialogue between the consortium and public authorities has already helped secure €20 million in financial support for electric machinery. However, the report stresses that reducing emissions is not solely dependent on replacing equipment. Driver assistance systems, improved machine utilisation, eco-driving techniques and tighter control of unnecessary idling can all cut fuel consumption and operating costs across existing fleets. “Environmental sustainability also depends on changing practices, such as driver assistance systems, eco-driving, usage rates, and managing idling,” said Davy Guillemard, President of C-Mat. Guillaume Schaeffer added: “INTERMAT has established itself as a key venue for scaling up: a space where solutions and innovations are showcased, compared and discussed collectively, with a view to clarifying the conditions for rolling them out.”
The third area covered by the publication is social sustainability, with recruitment and skills shortages continuing to affect contractors, equipment dealers and manufacturers. France’s construction sector requires more than 210,000 new recruits each year, yet almost three-quarters of those vacancies are considered difficult to fill. The report argues that the problem is partly linked to outdated perceptions of construction work, despite modern machinery, automation, advanced hydraulics, digital controls and operator assistance systems making many roles more technical and less physically demanding. Increasing the number of women working in construction is also identified as an important part of widening the available talent pool.
“To attract young people to these professions, we need to give a clearer picture of how they are changing. These are now more modern, less physically demanding jobs that value initiative and independence,” said Jean-Claude Fayat, First Vice-President of EVOLIS and President of the FIM. Artificial intelligence is expected to accelerate that change further, particularly through predictive maintenance systems capable of identifying potential machine faults before they result in downtime. For fleet operators, this could improve equipment availability, maintenance planning and total cost of ownership, while creating new technical and data-focused roles within the industry.
Construction businesses are responding through updated training, more structured support for new employees and broader recruitment policies. “Companies are much more open in their recruitment practices. We’re seeing people from different backgrounds join us as they change careers, and that’s a real asset to the sector,” said Sébastien Ramé, Vice-President of UMGO-FFB. INTERMAT plans to support this work through the INTERMAT Academy and by opening the exhibition to the general public on Saturday 24 April. “Sustainability also depends on the ability to adapt roles, attract new talent and support skills development. INTERMAT brings these changes to life, particularly through the INTERMAT Academy and the special opening to the general public on Saturday 24 April. This broader perspective is essential for providing long-term support to the sector,” emphasised Guillaume Schaeffer.
By combining machinery demonstrations, technical discussion and practical examples from across Europe, INTERMAT 2027 will aim to show how lower-emission equipment, alternative fuels, digital technology, plant hire and workforce development can work together. For contractors and fleet owners, the challenge will be to adopt solutions that reduce environmental impact without compromising machine productivity, reliability, operator comfort or long-term profitability.
